Listen: I will, I swear – Sleep

With a slightly po-faced name like I will, I swear; you find yourself hoping the music will speak for itself. Fortunately, this Belgian boy/girl indie-pop duo negotiate stirring choruses and elegant soundscapes with far greater verve.

Comprised of polymath Jonathan Van Landeghem and vocalist Fien Deman, the Ghent twosome have just unveiled their debut release on Unday Records entitled, ‘Long Days’. It’s a sweetly low-key duet punctuated by solemn strings and strained piano chords; but the b-side, ‘Sleep’ is a potential game-changer. Or at least a ‘game-freshener’.

A softly-kissed reverb piano solo is joined by a gleaming guitar motif and ushered through a wash of atmospheric strings; the tempo building all the while as we hang from Fien’s every shuddering syllable, “Sleep is for the weak they say, we don’t need no sleep today”. When each fragment comes together against the wall of splintering cymbals crashes, ‘Sleep’ is transformed into a thing of pristine orchestral rock beauty, nodding to Arcade Fire and Explosions In The Sky.

Unashamedly bold trad-indie is often critically panned, but when executed with convincing emotional intent and well-honed melody; it’s empowering qualities are undeniably valuable.